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Biomedical subjects

L Smith

Publications and source records attributed to L Smith.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Increased nickel concentrations in body fluids of patients with chronic alcoholism during disulfiram therapy.

Nickel concentrations were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry in body fluids of 61 patients with chronic alcoholism during disulfiram treatment (tetraethylthiuram disulfide, 250 mg/day, po). Nickel concentrations in serum, whole blood, and urine were significantly increased at 12 hours after the initial dose of disulfiram. In serum and whole blood, the Ni concentrations reached a plateau after two weeks of treatment; in urine, the Ni concentrations increased progressively during the initial four months of treatment. During the interval from four months to three years of disulfiram treatment, the median concentrations of nickel in serum, whole blood, and urine were elevated 17-, 15-, and 39-fold, respectively, compared to pretreatment values. The effects of disulfiram on nickel metabolism evidently involve chelation of dietary nickel by diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), a disulfiram metabolite, and gastrointestinal absorption of the Ni-DDC complex. Since animal studies have demonstrated cerebral uptake of the lipophilic Ni-DDC complex, nickel may possibly accumulate in brain cells of disulfiram-treated patients; physicians should therefore be cautious in administering disulfiram to persons with nickel-containing orthopedic prostheses or occupational exposures to nickel.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Effect of an electronic air cleaner and negative ionizer on the population of indoor mold spores.

We evaluated the ability of an electrostatic air cleaner and negative ionizer (Bionaire 1000, Biotech Electronics, Ltd) to cleanse indoor air of mold spores. Significant reductions in the number of mold colonies were observed when the air cleaner was operated alone. We found no significant decrease in the circulating amounts of mold spores over baseline with the additional use of the negative ionizer. Though there were day-to-day variations in the numbers of spores, these changes remained significant.

Air Conditioning↗
PubMed1986

Compliance of pediatric and adolescent cancer patients.

Compliance with self-administered therapy in pediatric and adolescent patients is not always complete. Noncompliance may result in erroneous conclusions about the efficacy of a given therapy and lead to unnecessary tests and alteration of treatment regimens. To examine the causes of noncompliance, 46 cancer patients aged 2.5 to 23 years (mean age, 6.85 years) and 40 parents were extensively interviewed at 2 weeks, 20 weeks, and 50 weeks post-diagnosis. The results of self-reported compliance were corroborated by serum bioassay of the prescribed medications. A significant correlation between the age of patient and compliance with chemotherapeutic agents and nonchemotherapeutic medications was found (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.02, respectively), with adolescent patients being compliant less often. Over the course of therapy, compliance among patients decreased, but not significantly. A significant negative correlation was found between compliance and the number of children in the family. Compliers and noncompliers did differ significantly in how well they understood instructions concerning how to take their medication (P = 0.04). No significant correlations between compliance and stage of the disease, number or type of drugs used, complexity of the regimen, degree of satisfaction with information given to the patient, understanding of disease, treatment, or belief in medication efficacy were found. The main reasons given for noncompliance were forgetfulness, busy schedules, and nonavailability of medication. More compliers than noncompliers were in agreement with their parents regarding who was responsible for the administration of the medication. Compliance is a complex and multifaceted issue which interrelates with a large number of medical and social factors.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1986

Occurrence of a fetal fibroblast phenotype in familial breast cancer.

We have previously shown that fetal and adult human skin fibroblasts display distinctive migratory phenotypes when cultured on 3-dimensional collagen gels in vitro. In the present study, we have used this information to assess the migratory behavior of fibroblasts obtained from patients with either benign or malignant breast disease, and correlated this with the presence of a family history of breast cancer. We have observed that fibroblasts from 17/34 patients with no previous family history of breast cancer displayed fetal-type behavior in our assay system; in contrast, fibroblasts from 15/16 patients with a positive family history of breast cancer behaved abnormally. This apparently increased probability of expressing a fetal-type migratory phenotype in the patients with a family history is statistically significant (p less than 0.008). Skin fibroblasts obtained from 2 healthy and unaffected first-degree relatives (one male and one female) of patients with a family history of breast cancer also exhibited a fetal-type migratory phenotype.

Breast Diseases↗
PubMed1986

Monoclonal antibody to human cytochrome c: effect on electron-transfer reactions.

A monoclonal antibody has been produced to an antigenic site on human cytochrome c which includes amino acid number 58 (isoleucine). This area is on the bottom back of the cytochrome, removed from the postulated binding/reaction sites for oxidase and reductase, but in the area of the molecule where an appreciable change in conformation is seen on oxidation-reduction. In spectrophotometric assays, where binding of cytochrome c to the oxidase or reductase is rate-limiting, the antibody gave stimulation of the reductase reaction under some conditions, where the oxidase reaction was inhibited. Also variation of the pH of the reaction medium resulted in differential effects on the oxidase and reductase reactions. Different effects of the antibody were seen when the oxidase was assayed polarographically, as compared to the spectrophotometric measurements. The data show that the binding/reaction sites on cytochrome c for the oxidase and reductase must be different. They suggest that binding of antibody may affect conformational changes in the whole molecule, distorting the binding/reaction sites. Conformational changes may be involved as a control mechanism in cytochrome c-mediated electron-transfer reactions.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Lesbian mothers and their children: a comparison with solo parent heterosexual mothers and their children.

Two types of single-parent households and their effects on children ages 3-11 years were compared. One type comprised 50 homosexual mothers and their 56 children, and the other was a group of 40 heterosexual mothers and their 48 children. There were 30 daughters and 26 sons of homosexual mothers and 28 daughters and 20 sons of heterosexual mothers. The sexual identity and social relationships of the children were assessed in relation to the sexual orientation of the mothers. The samples consisted of families from rural and urban areas in 10 American states. All have lived without adult males (18 years or older) in the household for a minimum of 2 years (average 4). Families with heterosexual mothers were matched to families with homosexual mothers on age and race of mother; length of mother and child separation from father; educational level and income of mother; and number, age, and sex of children. Data are reported from childrens' tests designed to provide information on general intelligence, core-morphologic sexual identity, gender-role preferences, family and peer group relationships, and adjustment to the single-parent family. No significant differences were found between the two types of households for boys and few significant differences for girls. Concerns that being raised by a homosexual mother might produce sexual identity conflict and peer group stigmatization were not supported by the research findings. Data also revealed more similarities than differences in parenting experiences, marital history, and present living situations of the two groups of mothers. The postulated compromised parental fitness of lesbian mothers, commonly asserted in child custody cases, is not supported by these data.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Biclonal and hypodiploid multiple myeloma.

Plasma cell DNA and RNA content was measured by flow cytometry of acridine orange-stained bone marrow cells from 72 untreated patients with multiple myeloma. Biclonal or hypodiploid DNA stemlines were identified in 10 patients, nine of whom had a low RNA content and did not have response to chemotherapy. Biclonal tumors often showed atypical myeloma protein changes with chemotherapy, suggesting that one clone was reduced whereas the other remained unchanged. These findings suggest a genetic basis for the resistance of low RNA tumors to chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1986

Extravascular lung water measurement in septic sheep.

Sheep were prepared with a chronic lung lymph fistula and studied unanesthetized following septicemia by infusion of live Escherichia coli 10(9) ml/kg bw or injection of oleic acid 0.05 ml/kg bw. Extravascular lung water (EVTV) was measured with thermal-dye technique and compared to gravimetrically measured lung water (EVWV). Septic sheep had increased pulmonary artery pressure, reduced mean arterial blood pressure and reduced cardiac output. In control animals there was a correlation between EVTV-EVWV of r = 0.70. In animals given oleic acid lungs were macroscopically edematous and the correlation was r = 0.93. In septic sheep, however, no correlation could be found between EVTV and EVWV (r = -0.25). The thermal-dye technique was found to give erroneously high values. This finding could probably be due to erythrostasis and leukocyte plugging with uneven perfusion and prolonged transit times due to reduced cardiac output.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Absorption of oral diphosphonate in normal subjects.

Absorption of the diphosphonate etidronate (HEDP) was measured in 20 volunteer subjects at two centres (Glasgow and Madison) using a new method based on simultaneous administration of HEDP and intravenous 99mTc-HEDP (Osteoscan). The mean absorption of HEDP in fasting subjects in Glasgow was 3.5% (range 1-8.9%) and in Madison 1.5% (0.7-2.8%) (P less than 0.035). In four subjects studies were repeated with good agreement between results (mean 3.9 cf. 3.5%). Six subjects had studies repeated when drug was ingested with food and in all cases absorption was effectively reduced to zero. We conclude that absorption of HEDP is significantly higher in normal subjects in Glasgow than in Madison. This may be of importance with regard to the finding of histological osteomalacia and fracture associated with HEDP use in Glasgow.

Administration, Oral↗